Finding A Way
by Snowfire the Kitsune
Summary: A British orphan finds a home and job in a bookshop, in Paris, but sometimes life's little blessings are really life's worst mistakes or curses...


_I don't own the highlander!_

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**I was born as an Englishman, in the year of 1969.**

**My name is Andrea.**

**Just Andrea.**

**I am of English dissent, but there is little about my family that I know.**

**Sometimes I wonder what might have happened if I hadn't fallen.**

**Fallen into this world of lightning swords.**

**I am an orphan and this is my tale.**

**The tale of how I met Duncan MacLeod, Richie Ryan, and their Watcher, a nice elderly chap, called Joe.

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For a long time I have wondered why I was such an odd fit, but today I learned why…

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On the streets of Paris, Andrea made her way down a fairly calm wharf. It was nearing two in the afternoon, but it never really mattered. Andrea worked as a night clerk for a small bookstore called Redman's Secondhand Books. Truthfully, she loved that job, but she hated the people that she had to work with. Nell, the boss' wife, was the perfect lady and she's the only one Andrea got along with. Nell's son, Talim, and her husband, Yorik, were another matter entirely! Yorik was an evil git, to say the least. He tried to get away with not letting her have any breaks if he could, but Nell always saved her from him. Talim was spoiled rotten by his father and constantly was trying to get her to date him. 

Last night, Andrea had witnessed something that made her horrified and nearly pushed to tears. Talim and Yorik were beating Nell. Andrea yelled at them to stop, Nell saw her first and ordered Andrea to run! She didn't want to leave, but Nell's eyes pleaded with her, and she obeyed. They chased her quite a ways. Andrea was now very deep into a fairly nice area, even if she was just on a wharf.

Of course the minute she had turned turn to look for a place to hide from her pursuers, Talim found her! He threw something at Andrea, and she dodged, "HELP!" Andrea kept evading all of the projectiles, but finally one hit her on her left arm. She screamed in agony. Apparently, she should have done this sooner, because two men were out and in front of her before Andrea could blink away the pain.

"You okay?" the younger of the two asked.

"Please help me," Andrea whimpered.

"Get the girl out of here," the older man told the younger.

"Sure, meet you at Joe's," the younger boy knelt and quickly lifted her into his arms.

"Thank you," Andrea whispered softly, her body completely limp in the young man's arms.

"Don't talk, we'll get you some help. Just hang on, okay?" the young man took off down the wharf, and soon they broke out into a semi-busy street. Andrea was still in shock when they entered a pub.

The minute the acrid smell of liquor hit her, she groaned, "I'm just a bit winded, and… they have Nell! Yorik's probably beating her for telling me to run! I've gotta get help and get back to her!"

"Whoa! Whoa! Clam down! Trust me, we'll help you! So, until Duncan gets back, why don't we go ahead and introduce ourselves? I'm Richie Ryan and the guy at the bar staring at us is Joe."

"Andrea. Please! I've gotta get help and find Nell! Please!" Andrea pleaded with the man whose name she had just received.

"Okay Andrea, calm down, you're alright, as soon as my friend comes back we'll go find your friend. We'll find her, okay?" Richie tried to calm the girl down, but was having no effect.

"Let me try, boy," Joe stated as he sat next to Andrea. "Hey, I'm Joe, but you can call me Uncle Joe. Why don't ya tell me all about it, sugar?"

"Well, I work as a night clerk at this used-book store. Yorik and Talim are father and son, they own it. Nell is Yorik's wife. She's the only lady that's ever been nice to me, and I saw them! They were beating her! They were hurting her! Please, Unca Joe, please help!" Andrea finally burst into tears.

Joe sighed and put his arm around the girl, "You get all of that, Mac?"

"Yes. Andrea," the older man was back. "My name is Duncan MacLeod. I need you to tell me the name of the store and where it is located, can you do that?"

"Redman's Secondhand Books, Thirteenth and Finnegan. It's got a bright orange and white banner over it. They live above the store, but I came through the basement entrance and found them in the shop…" Andrea shook her head. "If she's not there, they've probably taken her to the second nearest motel. They do that from time to time."

"What do Yorik and Talim look like?" Richie asked.

"You both saw Talim," Andrea was now clinging to Joe. "Yorik has ragged blonde hair that looks like a bird lay in it for years. He has this horrible face, makes him look like a pig; rancid breath, and he's always wearing this ugly yellow and orange neck-tie."

Duncan exchanged a look with Richie and Joe, "Richie, watch after Andrea. Joe, you know what to do."

"Yeah, see ya soon, Mac," Richie nodded and frowned as he looked over at the girl who was still shaking in Joe's embrace.

"Richie, maybe you should take her home…" Joe sighed as the girl stopped crying, but refused to stop shaking.

"I don't have one." With that both Richie and Joe turned to Andrea in surprise, "I was working on getting a place, that's why I was saving up."

"So… where did you sleep?" Richie asked curiously.

"Non-ya," Andrea replied, feeling that these guys were a bit too nosey.

"For how long have you been on the street?" Joe asked gently.

"It's not any of your business!" Andrea snapped, and trying to worm out of Joe's arms.

"Andrea, we're trying to help you and your friend. Could you please tell us about you? It's only fair," Richie glared at her.

"No it's not! It's called prying!" Andrea glared at him, "Look, I appreciate that you and your friends are helping me and Nell, but just because you help me gives me no reason to trust you."

"WELL YOU COULD AT LEAST BE NICE ABOUT SAYING NO!" Richie was now yelling.

"I thought I was," Andrea sighed. "Look, as soon as your friend brings back Nell, we'll both be outta your hair. So it's best you don't get too much info. so you don't get attached to us."

"You really believe that?!" Richie snorted.

"Things and people are not always the way they seem, and I've seen plenty of both," Andrea replied with a hardening gaze. "I have a long memory and if I find you or one of your two pals in trouble after this, I'll help. But don't expect me to believe everything you say, I'm not that naïve, not anymore."

"What happened to you, Andrea?" Joe sighed.

"Life, Unca Joe. Life happened to me," Andrea gazed sadly at the old man. "If I had known my grandfather I'd hope he'd be a lot like you."

Joe and Richie once again found themselves staring at this girl, when MacLeod walked in, "I didn't find her."

"Alive or dead?" Andrea flicked her now cold eyes to MacLeod.

"Neither."

"I have to go," Andrea frowned as she headed towards the door.

"Here," MacLeod handed her a card. "If you ever need help or a place to stay… you're welcome to stay with me and Richie."

"Thanks, but I don't think your friend and I would get along, he's too much of a punk, and I'm too much of a recluse. Thanks again for trying to find her, and for getting Talim for me."

"You're going after her, aren't you?" Richie frowned.

"She's the only person who…" Andrea frowned and shook her head with a smirk, "There you go again, prying into affairs that aren't yours. Sometimes the answers we seek aren't the ones we're ready for." With that she walked out of the pub and quickly headed off to find Nell and hopefully save her from Yorik.

"So, you gonna follow her?" Joe asked MacLeod.

"Do you really need to ask?" Duncan replied as he took off.

"You want me along?" Richie asked.

"Not this time Richie, something about this Yorik fellow…"

"You think he's another immortal?" Richie frowned.

"No, I believe that the woman is immortal," MacLeod responded before he literally ran after Andrea.

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About ten minutes after Andrea left the pub, she felt that she was being watched. She managed to glance at a store window and passing and frowned slightly as she saw Duncan in it. She shook her head and began her search once again, "What did she tell me? I know she told me something… The Arch!" Andrea took off for the largest and most toured Arch in Paris with Duncan following close behind. 

"Andrea!" Nell whispered happily as she saw the girl approaching.

"Nell!" Andrea ran forward and was about ten feet away from Nell before Yorik appeared in her vision holding a gun to Nell's head. "Yorik," Andrea glared.

"Andrea, get out of here! I'll be fine! I promise!" Nell pleaded.

"No Nell, I won't run this time. I'm tired of running," Andrea frowned as she walked two feet closer to Nell.

"Honey, listen to me, I promise I'll live! Get away! Now!" Nell yelled.

"Shut up bitch!" Yorik growled, "Come one more step and she gets wasted, girl. Now listen up to my generous offer… You and Nell come with me nice and quiet like, and girl, you will become Talim's blushing bride."

"That's not acceptable," a male voice rang out in the afternoon crowd that stood away from Nell and Yorik in shock and horror.

"Duncan…" Andrea whispered softly.

"Yorik let them go."

"Who are you? Where are you?" Yorik spun around angrily, "I'll kill her if you don't come out!"

"Go ahead, but leave the girl alone."

"What?!" Andrea gasped.

"She's seen too much!" Yorik ground his teeth together, "Stop being a coward and come out to face me!"

"As you wish," Duncan came from behind Yorik and conked him on the head, effectively knocking him out.

The crowds cheered as Andrea rushed towards Nell and caught her before she fell to the ground, "Nell! Nell! Are you okay?! Nell?"

"She'll be fine, she's just fainted," Duncan smiled reassuringly at Andrea.

"Great… I'm gonna get kicked in a minute," Andrea grumbled as she quickly placed Nell gently on the ground before Nell came to fighting and kicking the air around her. "Nell, you okay?"

"Andrea? Run!" Nell yelped in horror.

"Nell, it's okay, Duncan took care of Yorik. The constables are coming and should lock him and your stepson away for life," Andrea comforted the woman who had short tussled brownish-gray hair, gray eyes, and a pinched look to her face. Her clothes were a bit ragged, but still presentable and covering all the politically correct places.

"Andrea…" Nell sighed. "Sir, thank you for saving my young friend and myself."

"I am Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod."

"Nell Columbus illegitimate child of Christopher Columbus," Nell replied. She had toffee colored skin, which meant that Columbus was not just a famous man for his cruelty or the discovery of the new world, but he had left behind an immortal daughter as his legacy.

"What's going on Nell?" Andrea whispered. "Mr. MacLeod, why did you follow me?"

"Hello officer, I believe you want this?" Duncan smiled as he handed Yorik over to the authorities.

"I understand that you suffered a great shock, madam, but you will need to give a statement. Please stop by the station tomorrow," an officer informed Nell Columbus before leaving.

"Andrea, I think we should both start anew, what do you say?" Nell smiled lightly, "Unless your new friend wishes my head."

"It is a lovely head," Duncan shook his head. "Do not part with it so easily."

"What's going on?!" Andrea glared at the two people who seemed to be slightly lost in their own world.

"Another time Andrea," Nell laughed.

"Forget it," Andrea glared at her friend before huffing and storming away.

"Don't you want to follow her?" Duncan asked the other immortal.

"No. She needs to be on her own. She will never understand, even with her misguided loyalty," Nell sighed. "Follow her if you wish, I'm going to leave Paris."

"She was worried about you! Are you just going to leave her?!" Duncan stared at the woman in horror.

"I can't take her with me… I… I have a habit of seeking those who would harm me. Much as my father did," Nell sighed. "Do me a favor; keep an eye open for her. She's a good kid, no drugs, prostitution, or other problems… I'm just not the one to take care of her."

"Then you'd best pray that Amanda doesn't find her," Duncan sighed exasperatedly as the female immortal walked away from him.

It was near half an hour before Andrea returned, "Nell? Mr. MacLeod, where is Nell?"

"She left. She didn't want to put you into another situation like this one. She said she has a bad habit of doing so…" Duncan closed his eyes sadly.

"She left? She left me?" Andrea blinked back her tears, "Well, it wouldn't be the first time someone's left me. I'm sure it won't be the last… I just thought she'd be the one to stick around. She was like a mom to me… I've never…"

"Andrea, you can stay with Richie and me and I'm sure Joe wouldn't mind having you waitress in the pub…" Duncan tried to lighten her mood.

"I… I… have to go…" Andrea replied sadly.

"You're always welcome at the pub or in my home," Duncan replied.

"Thanks, I'll think about it," Andrea smiled slightly at the immortal before going to the place where she slept.

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"Mac! What happened with that Andrea girl?" Richie asked curiously, the next night. 

"She found Nell, who apparently is an immortal. Then, Nell left her in Paris, alone."

"What?! Why would she do that?! Andrea was worried sick about her!" Richie gaped openly in shock and he began to feel his blood boil.

"She thought it best for Andrea. She said that she always got herself into these types of messes with men. It had something to do with who her father was," Duncan sighed.

"Just because her dad was like that doesn't mean that she has to… URGH!" Richie slammed his fists down on the table, "It's not right Mac!"

"And I suppose everything is supposed to be fair in life as well?" a female voice asked softly as she walked up to the little group of men.

"… Andrea?" Richie blinked in surprise.

"I went to the station and waited all night. She never came. Is the offer still open for a place to stay… and work?"

"Of course," Duncan nodded. "But I just would like you to do one little thing for me…"

"Depends what it is, Mr. MacLeod," Andrea replied cautiously.

"Could you just call me Duncan or Mac? Mr. MacLeod makes me feel old," Duncan pouted, causing the entire table to erupt into laughter, minus Duncan and Andrea.

"Of course, Duncan, but be warned when I'm upset I have a tendency to use a person's full name," Andrea smiled wickedly at the immortal.

"Wait a minute! She's gonna be living with us?!" Richie yelped.

"What. Afraid of a recluse invading your haven, punk-boy?" Andrea stifled a chuckle at Richie's shocked face.

"Actually, he is an reformed thief, yet he is still a punk," Duncan laughed.

"Great, now Mac's making jokes about me, again," Richie grumbled.

"Well, you can always think of McDonalds," Andrea whispered to Richie, causing him to burst into laughter.

"Yeah, I'll have a Big Mac, coke, and fries, thanks!" Richie grinned. Joe tried not to laugh but his drink was coming out his nose.

"Well hardy har-har," Duncan rolled his eyes.

"It could always be worse, but I think living with you two and being around Unca Joe will never be dull," Andrea smiled.

END


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